Dean of College

Social Media Ban - 10 December 2025

From 10 December (Wednesday of Week 9) the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 comes into effect. Under this world-first legislation, individuals under 16 years will be restricted from creating or keeping a social media account. 

Extensive research has shown a strong link between social media usage and negative impacts on the mental health and cognitive development of young people. 

Platforms that will be age restricted

The law is intended to capture social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, Facebook and YouTube. Others will be added and the list may change – it all depends on the platform’s features. Find the latest list here.

Platforms that will not be age restricted 

Individuals under 16 years old will still be able to access messaging, gaming, and services that are primarily for the purposes of education and health support. For example, Google Classroom and YouTube Kids will not be age restricted, and YouTube videos that can be seen without logging in can still be shared by teachers.

Compliance and Enforcement

The onus is on social media platforms to ensure that their users are over the age of 16, meaning there are no penalties for young people under 16 if they have access to an age-restricted platform, or for their parents or carers. Age-restricted social media platforms may face penalties of up to $49.5 million if they don’t take reasonable steps to prevent under 16s from having accounts on their platforms. eSafety will monitor compliance and enforce the law through a range of regulatory powers provided in the Online Safety Act.

Parents/carers won't be able to give their consent for their young people to access social media before they are 16 years of age.

Social media platforms are expected to remove accounts held by users under the age of 16. However, some platforms may opt to deactivate these accounts rather than delete them entirely, allowing the accounts—and all associated data—to be reactivated once the user reaches the age of 16.

Information on which platforms will be age restricted and the enforcement processes are still emerging. An independent review of the restrictions will take place within 2 years.

Schools are not required to follow up if they are aware of a student under 16 years old holding a social media account. However, we will be engaging in educational sessions around the ban with years 7, 8 and 9 both before the end of the year and into next year.

What Parents Can Do

1. Have a conversation about the social media minimum age with your young person. Ask your young person what they think and feel about its benefits and impacts. There are helpful conversation guides on the Headspace website. Include conversations about possible replacement activities.  
2. Encourage your young person to connect with friends and family in other ways, such as in-person or via online games or messaging services.
3. Let your young person know they can download data, photos, and videos from their social media accounts by following the instructions provided by the major platforms, or they can find links on the eSafety website.
4. Go through the eSafety’s Social media age restrictions: Get-ready guide for under-16s with your young person. 
5. Visit this eSafety page which details answers to frequently asked questions, how to manage conflict about the change, tools to help you work through it together as a family and links to helpful resources. 

No matter how old a student is, if they have a harmful experience online they should reach out for support – even if they are under 16 and it happens on an age-restricted social media platform. eSafety’s 'I need help' page for young people has more detailed information and guidance on what they can do if something goes wrong online. Students and parents can also reach out to us at school for assistance, guidance and support.

If a young person needs help dealing with the change, they can contact:

• eheadspace: 1800 650 890 or eheadspace.org.au
• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
• ReachOut: au.reachout.com
• 13YARN: 13 92 76 or 13yarn.org.au

Parents can also contact Parentline for support with this and other parenting questions:

• Parentline: 1300 1300 52

Printable Resources

Fact Sheet

Poster

Flyer for Under 16s

Further Information:

eSafety Social media age restrictions hub

eSafety Social Media Minimum Age- Regulatory Guidance

eSafety’s Social media age restrictions: Get-ready guide for under-16s

eSafety Social Media Age Restriction- stakeholder toolkit

St Aloysius College Cronulla Expands The Resilience Project in 2026

St Aloysius College Cronulla is excited to announce that in 2026, the school will be expanding its partnership with The Resilience Project, deepening its commitment to student wellbeing and community connection.

For several years, The Resilience Project has been a cornerstone of our wellbeing program, helping students build skills in gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness (GEM). Next year, we are taking this initiative further by embracing a whole-school approach that will involve not only students and staff, but also families.

💡 What’s Changing?

• Whole-School Integration: Every year group will engage with The Resilience Project through tailored lessons, assemblies, and activities, ensuring consistency across the entire College.
• Family Engagement: Parents and carers will be invited to participate in a workshop and resources designed to bring GEM practices into the home, strengthening the connection between school and family life.

• Community Focus: By embedding resilience strategies into everyday routines, we aim to foster a culture of kindness, empathy, and gratitude that extends beyond the classroom.

   

🌱 Why It Matters

Resilience is not just about bouncing back from challenges—it’s about thriving in everyday life. By involving families, St Aloysius College hopes to create a shared language of wellbeing, where students feel supported both at school and at home.

📣 Looking Ahead

We are thrilled to continue this journey with The Resilience Project and look forward to seeing the positive impact of a united, whole-school approach. Together, with the support of our families, we can nurture resilient, compassionate, and mindful young people who are ready to face the future with confidence.